AboutEric Chase

Eric Chase began his musical career with three years of piano lessons, administered under considerable duress by his (it has now been revealed) inspired parents. At age 10, he picked up a ukulele and began to express himself in earnest and later moved on to the acoustic guitar. These humble beginnings and his early influences including Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, PP&M, the Kingston Trio, the Everly Brothers, and Elvis have shaped his songwriting throughout his life.

By the middle of high school Eric was playing bass for a local band called the Gross National Product. It was this band that gave him his first taste of the exhilaration only successful performers know, as the GNP broke out of South Pasadena, California and began playing in nightclubs around the Los Angeles area.

Recollections among the band members vary somewhat, it being the 60’s and all. After two years in the GNP, the quintessential “Opening Act”, the United States Selective Service System led Eric to a fateful decision, to quit the band, and to remain instead a full-time college student in order to postpone his tour of duty, which he is still actively doing. Somewhat broken-hearted at seeing his performer’s dream die too soon, he turned to songwriting. He specialized, at the outset, in socially relevant songs of protest, outrage, and such. But a hopeless romantic will not remain outraged indefinitely, and love crept into the growing stack of songs soon enough.

For the next forty years Eric continued to write songs, forgoing live performance almost entirely. That, dear readers, is now changing. Having achieved everything he could as a working stiff, Eric has undertaken this new journey, and he welcomes you to join him. Please enjoy the songs from the Forty Years sessions, recorded in 2007-2008, and most especially, the new release In Grace Again. Eric hopes to see you on the road someday soon!